Schools, climate change and health promotion: a vital alliance

Abstract

Through an ongoing project, we have been reviewing the literature addressing school planning for climate change related ecological disruptions and disasters, particularly for the special needs of children with disabilities. We have also examined related state education department policies from across Australia. Our preliminary results suggest scant attention has been paid either by researchers or educational policy makers to the needs of children with disabilities and their caregivers in response to climate change induced disaster scenarios. Here, we advocate for better preparedness among institutions serving children with disabilities to support their health in the context of climate change, and describe how health promotion principles can be brought to bear on this issue.

Key words: climate change, health promotion, schools and disabilities